LUBBOCK, Texas - May 9, 2011 - Texas and parts of several surrounding states are suffering through a drought nearly as punishing as some of the world's driest deserts, with much of the nation focused on a spring marked by historic floods and deadly tornadoes.

Some parts of the Lone Star State have not seen any significant precipitation since August. Bayous, cattle ponds and farm fields are drying up, and residents are living under constant threat of wildfires, which have already burned across thousands of square miles.

NEW YORK - May 9, 2011 - U.S. home values fell in the first quarter at the fastest rate since late 2008, real estate data firm Zillow said on Monday, suggesting that a bottom will not be seen until 2012 at the earliest.

NEW YORK - May 6, 2011 - It is almost becoming an affront to the legacy of George Washington to have to grace the lowly greenback.

While the currency managed to claw back some ground amid turmoil on global markets this week, it remains on the verge of sinking below a pair of important thresholds. The first is the 2008 record low.

SOUTH BEND, Indiana - May 5, 2011 - Indiana residents say record-high gasoline prices are forcing them to park their cars, stay home more often and ride their bicycles.

"They're killing us. It's too expensive," said Luis Loredo, a 31-year-old painter from South Bend. "Sometimes I can only buy $5. Five dollars is nothing now. If I don't have to go, I don't go (anywhere)."

LONDON, England - May 5, 2011 - It was the biggest drop in the cost of raw materials in almost two years, amid negative economic data that showed the U.S. jobs market is struggling to recover.

WASHINGTON - May 5, 2011 - The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits surged last week to the highest level in eight months, a troubling sign a day ahead of the government's report on April employment.

The Labor Department said Thursday that the 43,000 spike in applications to a seasonally adjusted 474,000 last week was largely the result of unusual factors, including a high number of school systems in New York that closed for spring break.

NEW YORK - May 3, 2011 - Growth in the food stamp program appeared to reach a plateau in February, with 14.3% of the population relying on the safety net program.

The number of food stamp recipients was essentially flat in February, the most recent month available, with 44.2 million Amerikans receiving benefits, according a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.